The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1887-05-07
FOURTH COMMENCEMENT
OF the Westminster Theological Seminary of
the M. P. Church

Seminary took place on the LIST, 2nd and Bird
insts., and were held in the NJ. P. Church.
The annual sermon, given below, was
preached on Sunday morning by DR.. j. T.
| Ward, President of the Seminary. The text
was |. TIM, 4th chap, 18th and 10th verses.
The discourse was simple an,l f,,rcibe, aud
was replete with advice to the stuleats. In
the evening Rev. l.. Il. Dyott, former grad
uate of the Seminary, and now stationed ut
! Harper's Ferry, preached the sermon before
the Missionary Alliance of the Seminary.
His text was Isaiah, 9th chap, Sth verse, and
his sermon was greatly enjoyed by the large
audience present.
On Monday evening the Stockton Society
of the Seminary held its Anniversary The
] program consisted of Presidents Address
by l.. l.. Albright, defamation by James
Cody, reading by G. r. Hodge, an anniver-
sary Grafton by o. l.. Corbin, and short dis
cussion on the reciprocal duties of the pastor
and his people. The exercises were inter
spersed with excellent music by the Society.
On Tuesday evening the graduates, Il. l..
Albright, J. d. Corbin and L. II. Vandyke,
read their graduating theses, and received
from the Board of Governors of the Seminary
diplomas of graduation.
All the exercises of the commencement
were enjoyable, and reflected great credit on
those participating, and on the Institution
The Seminary has full corps of teachers,
and is in fiourishing condition.
Nineteen students, representing six States,
have been enrolled during the year, and a
full school next year is the present prospect
The music furnished by the NJ. P. Choir for
the two services on Sunday and for the ex-
ercises on Tuesday evening was of a high
character. 1t consisted of choice anthems
and solos, and was rendered in the best style.
Mr.. r. f. Rinehart, Professor of Music in the
Western Maryland College, was organist, and
Mr.. S. r. Hodge Of the Seminary was cor
netist.
DIR. WARDS SERMON.
Text, | Timothy, ". H. Ibid no man despise
IN goHit Take heed uIto Hsey and the doctrine; o0n-
iGe In them: for in doing thou shalt both sqre hySe
and them That hear thee
To be true to ones clear convictions of right and
duty is not only mark of nobility of character but
a source of the purest enjoyment to the individual
and may be the means of immense benefit 10 others.
To resist such convictions is TO follow the course of
depraved and corrupt nature and to be led captive
by the devil at his viii. In way can a man give
the adversary of his soul greater advantage over
him than by yielding TO that adversarys temptation
TO indulge thoughts, cherish feelings and commit
acts contrary to the clear convictions of right and
duty which are wrought in the heart by the Holy
Spirit whose Office and work is TO convince men of
sin dts origin, nature and efects of righteousness
(what il is and how alone ii is to be secured and of
Judgment Involving both present and ultimate ac
countabilty to God. and to guide into all truth.
a
sons of God; they are regenerated by that Spirit
have new principle of life infused into them, the
love of God shed abroad in their hearts are created
anew In Christ Jesus unto good works, and hence
forth live not unto themselves, but unto Him who
died for them and rose again They are taken from
the dominion and control of the wicked one, and
the reigning desire of their hearts is tolea and do
the will of God in all things; they are translated
from darkness into light and from the power of
Satan TO the love and service of the true and living
God Their prime inquiry is, Lord. what wilt thou
have me to dor They commit themselves to Him
| for direction. and have His sure word of promise
that "He will guide them with His counsel and
afterward receive them TO glory
h such aa was tsg IRe christian IT. Ts
he had been, indeed y very different man, Al
educational advantages, which he had diligently
improved on the intellectual side, no had Ike all
human beings, heart prone TO evil, and although,
under the instruction OF the greatest doctor Of the
the tenets and strictly observed the ritual of Phar
saism he was proud, selfish. arrogant and bigoted.
degree that distinguished him above all his cohtem-
porares an opposer of the religion of love, which
was taught and exe% Emp BY Jesus Of Nazareth
manifestations of that opposition in the Part he took
at Stephens martYFdoM, and IN bis subsequent OUT
Tageos persecution Of the Christians, ares REVOLT
ing to The common sense Of humanity that even on
| natural principles they would be condemned; how
much more on the principles Of the revealed truth,
walk b1mhly with God"
That the Holy Spirit was striving with Saul as he
Stephen said in the close Of his wonderful address
| TO the Jews who were per2eouting him (Which adj
dress Saul certainly heard that they were resisting
the Holy Ghost, did their fathers" so was Saul;
and so he proceeded to do, not only consuming TO
| Stephens death, but carrying his prosecutions to-
wards the Christians TO the greatest extreme, his
heart being full of rage and cruelty towards them.
His saying that he had "a good conscience toward
Cod (f that at all refers % his early counsel end
to do many things sonirqry 10 the name al Jesus 81
Na&artth, ana That he thought he did Gods ser,
| from the PhaFisaic standpoint He was beyond
question resisting Gods spirit W allowing himself TO
Indulge wlfgl prejudice instead of oandidly consid-
| eTing the truth Stephen had spoken from the very
Scriptures he (Sau acknowledged TO be the word of
God and without setting about to investigate. the
evidences of tho Messiahship ofehFlst, Autsul the
Holy Spirit was patient and long -sulerng towards
him slaring his life and probing his conscience 50
course; and at length that very Jesus whom he was
prosecuting miraculously appeared TO him, at the
very height of his bigoted zeal for his party aud all
to him that clear copYigfieNs Of wight ahd duty.
| conyieiang unattended Wifi amy misgivings-t(JoE
possession Of big conscience, bis stubborn %ill was
GUIDED by he Ifaly Spirit Who led him into all
truth. IN every reference afterwards 10 his early
Ris 9Fgiyeaess and salvation and Gannot under
stand any language used by him TO be intended q
as IustIfabe or even excusable in his malicious on
position to Christ and his followers or that he at M
deserved the pardon he Obtained Il 'obiaihsd
s sEsy and as Could only come through that VERY
ssyioqr, qgaaiggst WHOM be bed 9eep aeLlngIhe-
Eortqnity q know better and in qnbelief' the re-
tult of neglect aud refusal 70 consider and inveati
gate dfFist's claims All Pagl's words taken 70;
and reproaehed himself for his course as persecu-
tor, and doubtless had this especially in view
when years after he called himself the chief Of
sinners" Il am less than the least of all saints
said he because prosecuted the Church Of Goa
LET Us beware" says By. Adam Clarke lest We
hess ofhis after CHARACTER and we may add in the
grand simplicity and power Of his after He, abos
a1a m s e sss G es sa6eeoe 70
carrying out of tho convictions of conscience fully
enlightened by the Spirit of God ~ his lahSrs AZ
chosen and divlnely called and set arart, of win
| ming souls to Christ and establishing them in the
faith of the Gospel and in his writings an unfold
| ing under divine inspiration of every Christian
spd PEseet neqasy aI a se 9t HIS
needs Of the ministry his Epistles % Timothy and
4p sas 6o sasest e Satas %6Io ssieoted
course, seem to me peculiarly suitable to The ocoa
sion, Timothy, Ike Paul, through whose instru
ness, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, was
convinced of his being called to devote his life to
| the ministry of the Gospel The text is a part o.
Pauis advise to him in reference to that work. and
use it as my advice TO the young brethren OF ou
semigary, who, having bnen brought 70 s9bmi
WINGED 81 their call to the same Work, and having
eeemplelsd their Seminary course in preparation
are now about 70 10 forth into the field of labor y
God may open their way. Timothy is here nddres
| sed as a Young man. What his precise age was we
do not know there Is difference of opinion in re
gard TO the date of this episte. II 1t was written
the earliest date assigned to it, A. D., Sc, he wa
about "a years of age; If at the latest date A. D. g
his age was about 80. In either case he was young
| according to both the Greek and Roman ideas.
verf not Installed Until they we've 80 years Of age
and our Lord entered upon his ministry at this age
1 There is reason to believe that Timothy became
companion of Paul in his labors as an evangelist a
much earlier age, and at any rate IN his relation
to Paul the latter could appropriately address him
as youth, and the people too would so regard him
The purport of the words Let no man despise thu
YOUTH / take to be. let no man have any jus
ground for despising you on account Of your anpaF
ont Untness for your Wofk as II FQ Here 100 Yoqnl
Tor t. Let all see that you have well considered "
4 t.rhYe importance and solemn responsibility tina
4 however few your years have been. you have, Ky
samqetof old, heard the voice Of the lord eellinI
you 70 the WoFk yn4 have enleFfa UPON that rs Aa
krolnted yog for the work and that HIS spirit |
upon you; that you are relying wholly upon Him
for whose special benefit am now speaking are al
In point of fact younger than Timothy was even y
! the earliest supposed date Of the text They ar
Seniors in the Seminary but they will be Juniors z
the most of those with whom they will soon be asso
eiated in the active work of the ministry. And thu
people among whom they are TO labor Will not fal
to take notice of this. Perhaps. as 1t was in Paul,
time, some will be disposed to despise your youth
therefore repeat to you the Apostles advice. Civ
none Just occasion for so doing, Be true 70 you
clear convictions Of right end qqiY and put ".